Apparatus and method of temperature drift compensation

ABSTRACT

Practical electronics such as amplifiers or voltage references can have circuit imbalances due to manufacturing imperfections. For example, amplifiers can have an undesirable offset voltage. The offset voltage might also drift with temperature making the design of these devices difficult. Disclosed are techniques which decrease the amount of offset voltage which provide predictability of device parameters over a range of temperatures.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/058,805, filed Oct. 2, 2014, titled “APPARATUS AND METHOD OF TEMPERATURE DRIFT COMPENSATION,” the entirety of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The described technology generally relates to amplifiers, voltage references, or any electrical system in which there is a temperature drift of a parameter; particularly, the temperature drift of offset voltage of amplifiers, voltage references or sensors.

2. Description of the Related Art

Different mechanisms exist to compensate for the temperature drift of the offset voltage of an amplifier or voltage reference. For example, dynamic offset cancellation techniques such as auto-zero and chopping can be used to minimize offset and temperature drift for low speed precision amplifiers. However, these techniques cannot be efficiently used for high speed circuits.

SUMMARY

Each of the methods and devices of the described technology has several aspects, no single one of which is solely responsible for its desirable attributes.

One innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a temperature drift compensation apparatus which can include: a first variable current source configured to generate a first current proportional to temperature; a second variable current source configured to generate a second current substantially invariable to temperature drift; a first converter configured to receive a first trim code and generate, based on the first trim code, a first converted current from the first current; a second converter configured to receive a second trim code and generate, based on the second trim code, a second converted current from the second current; a controller configured to adjust, at a first temperature and when the first trim code comprises a maximum trim code, the first variable current source until the first converted current is approximately a target value and adjust, at the first temperature and when the second trim code comprises the maximum trim code, the second variable current source until the second converted current is approximately the target value; and a third converter configured to receive a third trim code and generate, based on the third trim code, a third converted current from the second converted current, wherein the controller is further configured to determine, at the first temperature, the third trim code such that the third converted current substantially compensates for an inherent offset of a device, wherein the substantially compensated inherent offset comprises a trimmed offset, wherein the inherent offset of the device, at a second temperature, comprises a second offset, and wherein the controller is further configured to, at the second temperature, determine the first and second trim codes such that the first and second converted currents trim the second offset to substantially the trimmed offset.

In some embodiments, the controller is further configured to store the trimmed offset into a memory and retrieve the trimmed offset from the memory when determining, at a second temperature, the first and second trim codes.

In some embodiments, the first and second trim codes are equal. In some embodiments, the maximum trim code comprises the transistors of the first and second converters in conducting state. In some embodiments, the first temperature can include room temperature. In some aspects, the device can include an amplifier and the controller is further configured to input the first and second converted currents to an input stage of the amplifier. In some embodiments, the first, second and third converters can include digital to analog converters. In some embodiments, the first and second converted currents are measured at a test pin.

In one aspect, the device can include an amplifier and the controller is further configured to: turn the first and second converters off; measure, at an output of the amplifier, a residual offset comprising an offset voltage of the output of the amplifier; adjust, at the first temperature and when the first trim code comprises the maximum trim code, the first variable current source until the residual offset changes by a predetermined amount; and adjust, at the first temperature and when the second trim code comprises the maximum trim code, the second variable current source until the offset voltage of the output of the amplifier comprises the residual offset.

In some embodiments, the device can include an amplifier, a voltage reference or a sensor.

Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in an electronically implemented method of temperature drift compensation which can include: generating, with a first variable current source, a first current proportional to temperature; generating, with a second variable current source, a second current substantially invariable to temperature drift; receiving a first trim code and converting the first current, with a first converter and based on the first trim code, into a first converted current; receiving a second trim code and converting the second current, with a second converter and based on the second trim code, into a second converted current; adjusting, at a first temperature and when the first trim code comprises a maximum trim code, the first variable current source until the first converted current is approximately a target value, adjusting, at the first temperature and when the second trim code comprises the maximum trim code, the second variable current source until the second converted current is approximately the target value; receiving a third trim code and converting the second converted current, with a third converter and based on the third trim code, into a third converted current; determining, at the first temperature, the third trim code such that the third converted current substantially compensates for an inherent offset of a device, wherein the substantially compensated inherent offset comprises a trimmed offset, wherein the inherent offset of the device, at the second temperature, comprises a second offset; and determining, at the second temperature, the first and second trim codes such that the first and second converted currents trim the second offset to substantially the trimmed offset.

In some embodiments, the method further includes: storing the trimmed offset into a memory; and retrieving the trimmed offset from the memory when determining, at a second temperature, the first and second trim codes.

In some embodiments, the device can include an amplifier, a voltage reference or a sensor. In some embodiments, the maximum trim code comprises the transistors of the first and second converter in conducting state. In some embodiments, the first temperature can include room temperature. In some embodiments, the method can further include: inputting the first and second converted currents into an input stage of the device, wherein the device can include an amplifier. In some embodiments, the first, second and third converters can include digital to analog converters. In some aspect, the method can further include measuring the first and second converted currents at a test pin.

In some embodiments, the method can further include: turning the first and second converters off; measuring a residual offset, at an output of the device, wherein the device comprises an amplifier and the residual offset comprises an offset voltage of an output of the amplifier; adjusting, at the first temperature and when the first trim code comprises the maximum trim code, the first variable current source until the residual offset changes by a predetermined amount; and adjusting, at the first temperature and when the second trim code comprises the maximum trim code, the second variable current source until the offset voltage of the output of the amplifier comprises the residual offset.

Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a temperature drift compensation apparatus which can include: means for generating a first current proportional to temperature; means for generating a second current substantially invariable to temperature drift; means for receiving a first trim code and converting the first current, based on the first trim code, into a first converted current; means for receiving a second trim code and converting the second current, based on the second trim code, into a second converted current; means for adjusting, at a first temperature and when the first trim code comprises a maximum trim code, the means for generating the first current, until the first converted current is approximately a target value; means for adjusting, at the first temperature and when the second trim code comprises the maximum trim code, the means for generating the second current until the second converted current is approximately the target value; means for receiving a third trim code and converting the second converted current, at the first temperature, and based on the third trim code, into a third converted current; means for determining, at the first temperature, the third trim code such that the third converted current substantially compensates for an inherent offset of a device, wherein the substantially compensated inherent offset comprises a trimmed offset, wherein the inherent offset of the device, at a second temperature, comprises a second offset; and means for determining, at the second temperature, the first and second trim codes such that the first and second converted currents trim the second offset to substantially the trimmed offset.

Details of one or more implementations of the subject matter described in this disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Although the examples provided in this disclosure are sometimes described in terms of amplifiers, or op amps, the concepts provided herein may apply to other types of systems with or within which an electrical parameter which drifts with temperature is implemented. Other features, aspects, and advantages will become apparent from the description, the drawings and the claims. Note that the relative dimensions of the following figures may not be drawn to scale.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These drawings and the associated description herein are provided to illustrate specific embodiments of the described technology and are not intended to be limiting.

FIG. 1 demonstrates an amplifier according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 demonstrates an apparatus according to an embodiment wherein offset voltage at first temperature is compensated.

FIG. 3 demonstrates an apparatus according to an embodiment where compensating currents are generated at first temperature.

FIG. 4 demonstrates a graph of the compensating currents versus temperature according to an embodiment.

FIG. 5 demonstrates an apparatus according to an embodiment to generate compensating currents at a second temperature to compensate the temperature drift.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a trimming process according to an embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of a trimming process utilizing the apparatus of FIG. 5 according to an embodiment.

Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.

DESCRIPTION

Various aspects of the novel systems, apparatuses, and methods are described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. Aspects of this disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to any specific structure or function presented throughout this disclosure. Rather, these aspects are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. Based on the teachings herein, one skilled in the art should appreciate that the scope of the disclosure is intended to cover any aspect of the novel systems, apparatuses, and methods disclosed herein, whether implemented independently of or combined with any other aspect. For example, an apparatus may be implemented or a method may be practiced using any number of the aspects set forth herein. In addition, the scope is intended to encompass such an apparatus or method which is practiced using other structure, functionality, or structure and functionality in addition to or other than the various aspects set forth herein. It should be understood that any aspect disclosed herein may be embodied by one or more elements of a claim.

Although particular aspects are described herein, many variations and permutations of these aspects fall within the scope of the disclosure. Although some benefits and advantages of the preferred aspects are mentioned, the scope of the disclosure is not intended to be limited to particular benefits, uses, or objectives. Rather, aspects of the disclosure are intended to be broadly applicable to different wired and wireless technologies, system configurations, networks, including optical networks, hard disks, and transmission protocols, some of which are illustrated by way of example in the figures and in the following description of the preferred aspects. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the disclosure rather than limiting, the scope of the disclosure being defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

FIG. 1 demonstrates an amplifier 100 according to an embodiment. Amplifier 100 can include an inverting terminal input V_(INN) and a non-inverting terminal V_(INP) and an output terminal OUT. An ideal amplifier (not shown) can output a zero voltage in response to a common voltage. Due to manufacturing imperfections and internal device mismatches, practical amplifiers, such as amplifier 100, however might output a non-zero voltage in response to a common voltage. This means practical amplifiers usually have a non-zero inherent offset voltage. The term offset voltage is usually used to describe a differential input applied to the inputs of an amplifier to produce zero output for bipolar supply voltage, for example +/−5 Volts (V). In applications with a single supply voltage, for example, supply voltage between 5V and ground (GND), the offset can be defined as the differential input that produces a mid-rail output, for example 2.5V. The offset voltage is sometimes modeled as a voltage source V_(os) as depicted in amplifier 100 of FIG. 1. Generally designers would prefer to minimize the offset voltage as it is in series with the signal voltage being sensed by the amplifier. An additional challenge for device designers is that offset voltage changes at different temperatures. The component of the offset voltage that changes with temperature is sometimes referred to as temperature drift.

A differential input stage is usually used in the design of an amplifier. Various devices can be used in the input stage of an amplifier; for example, bipolar and JFET or MOS devices like MOSFETs. In the design of input stages of amplifiers, it is preferred to compensate or cancel out both the inherent offset voltage, for example offset at room temperature, and any offset due to temperature drift. The temperature drift for bipolar input devices is usually correlated to the offset voltage at room temperature so when the device has a large offset voltage at the room temperature, the device is normally expected to have a large temperature drift. For a bipolar input device, knowing the offset at room temperature can mean knowing the offset over a range of temperatures.

However, for MOS input stages, temperature drift is not necessarily correlated with the offset voltage at room temperature. Knowing the offset at room temperature, or at any particular temperature, does not mean the offset can be determined and appropriately taken into design considerations for other temperatures.

Additionally, amplifiers with MOS input stages exhibit larger input offset voltage and drift over temperature compared to bipolar and JFET input stages. Dynamic offset cancellation techniques like auto-zero and chopping can be used to minimize offset and drift for low speed precision amplifiers but generally cannot be efficiently applied for high speed amplifiers used for high-impedance sensor interfaces due to large input bias current. For high speed amplifiers usually a trimming technique is used. Trimming can be defined as adding or subtracting an electrical parameter, for example charge, voltage or current to a node or branch of an electrical circuit in order to adjust for a non-desirable quantity present in the circuit. For example, in the context of trimming for offset voltage, a compensating or trimming current can be added to the input branches of the differential input stage to both cancel the inherent offset voltage and the offset voltage due to the temperature drift of the inherent offset voltage.

Reference currents are used in amplifiers to generate bias currents to give various parts of the amplifier their defined characteristics. Some of these reference currents are ptat currents. Ptat currents are proportional to absolute temperature and increase or decrease in the same direction as the temperature increases or decreases. Certain devices benefit from being biased with a ptat current since it allows for flatter transconductance (Gm) curves, and flatter bandwidth. Some reference currents are ztat currents. They have a temperature coefficient (TC) of zero with absolute temperature. Ztat currents are substantially invariable relative to absolute temperature.

FIG. 2 demonstrates an apparatus 200 according to an embodiment wherein offset voltage at first temperature is compensated. The first temperature can for example be approximately 20 degrees Celsius or room temperature in some embodiments. However, the first temperature can also be higher or lower than room temperature in some embodiments. The apparatus 200 can include an amplifier input stage 202, a digital to analog converter (DAC) 204, a ztat current source, and another amplifier stage A2 which can be connected to an output OUT. The ztat current source can be connected between the supply voltage VCC and the DAC 204. The amplifier input stage 202 can for example be utilized as an input stage for the amplifier 100 of FIG. 1. The input stage 202 can include a differential pair using two transistors M1 and M2 where the gate terminal of each transistor M1 and M2 can be connected to for example the inverting and non-inverting input terminals V_(INN) and V_(INP) of the amplifier 100 of FIG. 1. The input stage 202 outputs OUTN and OUTP connecting the M1 branch 206 and the M2 branch 208 of the input stage 202 respectively to another amplifier stage A2.

The input stage 202 operates between two power supply rails VCC and VEE. The transistor M1 can be biased with for example a resistor R₁. The transistor M2 can be biased with for example a resistor R₂. These resistors are usually chosen to be of the same value; however, as described above, due to manufacturing imperfections they can have different values thereby contributing to the inherent offset. A ptat current source can be used to bias the input branches of the input stage 202. The switches a and b can selectively connect the output of the DAC 204 to the input branches 206 and 208 of the input stage 202.

In some applications, the ztat current which is invariable relative to temperature is trimmed using the DAC 204. The DAC 204 can accept a digital input, for example a trim code k, and a reference current, for example I, and output a current kI. An 8 bit converter or other converters can be used depending on the desired degree of correction of offset. To cancel the inherent offset of the input stage 202 of the amplifier 100, the offset voltage at room temperature between VINP and VINN of the input stage is measured, and depending on the sign and amount of the offset, an appropriate value of k is inputted to the DAC 204. The resulting output current of the DAC 204 is routed via the switches a and b to the appropriate branch 206 or 208 of the input stage 202 in order to cancel the inherent offset.

For example, if the input stage has an inherent offset of 200 micro volts (μV), meaning for example, node VINN is 200 μV higher than VINP at room temperature when node OUT is equal to mid-rail, the DAC 204 can be configured to generate 10 micro amps (μA) of current to be inputted to the branch 208 of the input stage 202. Since the second amplifier stage A2 can force the voltage of the nodes OUTP and OUTN to be approximately the same, and the resistors R1 and R2 are approximately optimal matches, the DC currents through the branches 206 and 208 are approximately the same. When 10 μA is introduced in the branch 208, the current through the device M2 reduces by 10 μA. Due to the reduced current flowing through the device M2, its gate to source voltage is reduced by 10 μA/Gm2 where Gm2 is the transconductance of the device M2. Consequently, the offset voltage between the nodes VINN and VINP is canceled or reduced at room temperature.

The ptat or ztat currents normally have some percentage variation from their nominal values, for example ±20%, over a temperature range, due to manufacturing imperfections or mismatches in the devices of the current generators producing these currents. In prior approaches in the context of trimming for temperature drift of offset voltage, the currents ptat and ztat are each trimmed, at room temperature, to two different values. Normally, these values are chosen to give ptat and ztat bias currents accurate temperature coefficients (TCs).

However, in some embodiments of the present application, the ptat current and ztat current are both trimmed to the same target voltage at the first temperature, for example, room temperature. This target value can for example be chosen based on the maximum temperature drift range to be trimmed. In this scenario, when the ptat and ztat biases are added to the input stage of an amplifier to cancel temperature drift, they do not themselves introduce an offset voltage into the amplifier when the amplifier is at the first temperature or room temperature.

FIG. 3 demonstrates an apparatus 300 according to an embodiment where compensating currents ptat and ztat are generated at first temperature. As shown, trimming can be accomplished by using one or more DACs. The output of a ptat current generator 306, I₁, is inputted into a ptat DAC 302 along with a digital trim code k₁. The ptat DAC 302 outputs a current k₁.I₁. A ztat bias current can be generated by the sum of the ptat bias current from the ptat current generator 306 and a complementary-to-absolute-temperature (ctat) bias current from the ctat current generator 308. Ctat current or complementary to absolute temperature current is inversely proportional to the changes in temperature. The ztat bias current is then inputted into a ztat DAC 304 along with the same digital trim code k₁ outputting a current k₁.I₂.

While in FIG. 3, ztat current is shown to be generated from the sum of the output of the ctat current generator 308 and the ptat current generator 306, the combination of ctat current generator 308 and ptat current generator 306 can be implemented or modeled as a ztat current generator. Usually in amplifier design, a reference current, for example ptat, ctat or ztat, is mirrored through current mirrors and used elsewhere in the circuit depending on the need. Additionally, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited for use with only ptat and ztat bias currents. For example, the described systems and methods can be used effectively with bias currents or currents that have different temperature coefficients.

In some embodiments, the apparatus 300 can be configured at a first temperature, for example room temperature, so the digital trim code value k₁ is set to maximum trim code such that all digital inputs of the ptat DAC 302 and ztat DAC 304 are on. In this arrangement, the mismatch errors in the DAC current mirrors or other internal circuitry are captured when the ptat and ztat output currents of the DACs 302, 304 are trimmed. The variable current sources generating ptat and ztat bias currents are then adjusted until k₁.I₁ and k₁.I₂ are both equal to a target value. As described above, the target value can, for example, be chosen based on the maximum temperature drift range to be trimmed. In some embodiments, these variable current sources can then be fixed.

The ptat bias current can be first generated by adjusting the ptat current generator until k₁.I₁ is at a target value. The trimmed value can be connected to a test pin 310 via a switch 312 and measured. The ctat bias current from the ctat current generator 308 can be trimmed by multiplexing the output of the ztat DAC 304 to the test pin 310 via the switch 314 and adjusting the ctat current generator 308 until k₁.I₂ is at the value previously measured for the trimmed ptat current, k₁.I₁.

Prior approaches, for example, included trimming the I1 and I2 currents each to a different value. Some embodiments of the present application advantageously trim not I₁ and I₂ before they pass through the ptat DAC 302 and ztat DAC 304, but they trim both k₁I₁ and k₁I₂ at room temperature to the same target value. As explained above, this approach substantially prevents the situation where the trimmed currents k₁I₁ and k₁I₂ introduce their own offset at room temperature when they are added to an input stage of an amplifier to compensate for temperature drift.

Additionally, trimming the k₁I₁ and k₁I₂ currents at maximum drift code, where all the digital inputs of the DACs 302 and 304 are on, and all transistors of the DAC are conducting, enables the systematic mismatches of all the transistors of the ptat DAC 302 and ztat DAC 304 to be incorporated and compensated for in the trimmed values k₁I₁ and k₁I₂. If the current minors of the DACs are substantially monotonic, then the ptat and ztat drift currents are substantially equal at all trim codes at room temperature within error of one least significant bit (LSB). If, at, for example, a second temperature, a trim code is used such that only some of the transistors and current mirrors of the DACs are on, the offsets and mismatches of those transistors are already included when the current sources ptat current generator 306 and ctat current generator 308 were adjusted to trim k₁I₁ and k₁I₂ to a target value at room temperature.

As described above, the ztat current can be trimmed to be equal to the trimmed ptat current, as opposed to a value that optimizes the ztat current for the best possible TC. While this can lead to wider variations of the ztat current over temperature, the error can be acceptable because the error in the TC of the trimmed drift currents can be compensated by choosing a higher or lower trim code once the trimmed currents are inputted into an amplifier to compensate for drift.

FIG. 4 demonstrates a graph 400 of the compensating currents ztat 402 and ptat 404 versus temperature according to an embodiment. The graph 400 shows temperature in degrees Celsius on the horizontal axis and current in micro amps (pA) on the vertical axis. As shown ztat trimmed current 402 is substantially invariable to temperature and remains constant. As expected, the ptat trimmed current 404 increases in absolute value as the temperature rises. Importantly, as graph 400 in FIG. 4 shows, the trimmed ptat and ztat currents 402 and 404 are set to be equal at room temperature according to some embodiments.

As described earlier, usually one or two reference currents are generated in a circuit and mirrored elsewhere to power or bias various parts of the circuit. As shown for example in FIG. 2 above, the trimmed ztat current can be inputted through a DAC 204 where the output of the DAC 204 can be fed into the appropriate branches of the input stage 202 of the amplifier via switches a and b. The current flow through the load resistors R1 and R2 is kept equal by the next input stage, for example an input stage of amplifier A2. The resistors R1 and R2 can be implemented using thin film load resistors to provide for excellent matching of these resistors. This arrangement can introduce a desirable mismatch in the bias currents flowing through the input differential pair of the amplifier, which can cancel the inherent offset voltage of the input differential pair.

Once the inherent offset is compensated at a first temperature, for example, room temperature, as described above, the temperature is increased to a second temperature, for example, 80° C., in order to calibrate the circuit to compensate for temperature drift of the offset voltage. The calibration process is explained in relation to the apparatus shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 5 demonstrates an apparatus 500 according to an embodiment to generate compensating currents I3 and I4 at a second temperature to compensate the temperature drift. Apparatus 500 can include the amplifier input stage 202, the ptat variable current generator 306, the ptat DAC 302 and ztat DAC 304 as described above. Apparatus 500 can also include a ztat variable current generator 502. The ztat current generator 502 can generate a ztat current from the ptat current generator 306 and a ctat current generator 308 as shown and described with respect to FIG. 3. The ptat DAC 302 can receive a digital trim code k₂ and generate the ptat compensating current I3 which can be fed to the input branches 206 and 208 of the input stage 202 by closing either of the switches s1 or s2 respectively. The ztat DAC 304 can receive the same digital trim code k₂ and generate the ztat compensating current I4 which can be fed to the input branches 206 and 208 of the input stage 202 by closing either of the switches s1 or s2 respectively. FIG. 5 and the description above show and refer to two switches labeled s1 and two switches labeled s2. In some implementations these switches can be separate and distinct switches where the switches labeled similarly are opened or closed simultaneously or together.

Once temperature is increased to a second temperature, for example 80° C., the offset is measured and based on the sign and amount of the measured offset at the second temperature, the output of the ptat current DAC 302 is multiplexed using switches s1 or s2 to one of the input branches 206 or 208 of the amplifier input stage 202 while the output of the ztat current DAC 304 is multiplexed to the other branch 206 or 208. The exemplary arrangement of the switch pairs s1 and s2 as shown in FIG. 5 enables flexibility in feeding the output of the ptat current DAC 302 to the branch 206 while feeding the output of the ztat current DAC 304 to the branch 208 and vice versa. Other arrangements of switches are also possible.

Ptat variable current generator 306, ctat variable current generator 308 and ztat variable current generator 502 are fixed with parameters determined for them at the room temperature calibration stage described above. The drift trim code k₂ can be increased to cancel the offset. The ptat compensating current I₃ is added to one of the branches 206 or 208 of the input stage 202 while the ztat compensating current I₄ is added to the other branch 206 or 208.

As described above, while at room temperature the ptat and ztat compensating currents k₁I₁ and k₁I₂ are substantially equal. At the second temperature, for example 80° C., the ptat compensating current I₃ can be larger than the ztat compensating current I₄. If during calibration at a first temperature, for example room temperature, the ptat and ztat compensating currents k₁I₁ and k₁I₂ are set equal at a maximum drift code and the DACs 302, 304 have been designed to be substantially monotonic, the output of the ptat DAC 302 and the ztat DAC 304 can be substantially equal at all drift codes within one LSB. Consequently, introducing different ptat and ztat trimming (or compensating) currents using different trim codes does not introduce an additional offset at room temperature.

Cancelling the offset at a second temperature as described above can still leave some amount of offset, depending on, for example, the resolution of the DACs 204, 302 and 304. Accordingly, an absolute zero offset might be impractical or unachievable in certain implementations. How close to zero the offset can be trimmed depends on factors including for example, the resolution of the DACs or the number of bits used in the DACs. Therefore, trimming the offset at a first temperature can still leave an amount of offset depending on the resolution of the DACs used. For example, in some embodiments, when a 6 bit DAC is used the offset might be any value between ±15 μV. Trimming the offset at both the first and second temperatures, aiming for zero offset might lead to a scenario where the offset at room temperature after trimming becomes, for example, −15 μV where the offset at the second temperature, after trimming becomes 15 μV, thereby introducing 30 μV of offset temperature drift over the range between the first and second temperatures.

A further technique in some embodiments is to trim the offset at the second temperature to the post trim offset obtained at the first temperature instead of trimming for a zero offset. In some embodiments, when offset trim is performed at a first temperature, for example room temperature, the post trim offset can be stored in a memory of the device, for example within an accuracy of approximately 1 μV. The memory can be an on-chip memory. For example, EPROM, fuses, flash memory or any other device or circuit capable of storage can be used. Subsequently when trimming at a second temperature, for example 80° C., the offset can be trimmed to be equal to the post trim offset at room temperature by reading its value from the memory. Using this and similar embodiments, the post trim drift performance is improved. Testing has shown a two-fold improvement in drift performance when the technique described above is used. The technique above allows a high drift performance without the need to use high resolution DACs. For example, in testing and experiments performed, using the technique described above a 6 bit DAC could achieve the same or similar performance achieved by a 20 bit DAC.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 3, as described above, shows the bias currents ptat and ztat are multiplexed to a test pin and accordingly trimmed. In an alternative embodiment, the use of an external test pin can be avoided. While the ptat and ztat bias currents can be trimmed based on measuring these currents at an external test pin, the described systems and methods can be effectively used by measuring the offset voltage of the amplifier itself as a proxy for the currents inside the part, instead of utilizing an external test pin to measure the currents directly.

For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the output of the ptat DAC 302 and ztat DAC 304 can be connected to the input stage 202 of an amplifier 100 through pairs of switches s1 and s2 optionally without an intervening test pin. Using this apparatus, the trimming at the first temperature, for example, room temperature will be described below. First, the offset voltage is measured when both ptat and ztat DACs 302 and 304 are off. This offset voltage can be termed the residual offset voltage Vres. Then the ptat DAC 302 is turned on using a maximum drift code. The variable current source 306 generating the ptat current can be adjusted until the measured residual offset changes by a predetermined amount. The value of this predetermined amount can be chosen such that the ptat current can end up at or near a target value. The target value as described above can be chosen based on the maximum temperature drift range to be trimmed or to give ptat current an accurate temperature coefficient. The ztat DAC 304 is then turned on using the maximum drift code. The variable current source 308 generating the ztat current is then adjusted until the offset voltage of the amplifier settles at the same residual offset voltage. As the previous described methods, among other advantages, trimming the ptat and ztat currents in the manner described above minimizes or reduces any inadvertent offset contribution from the trimmed ptat and ztat currents.

The apparatus and methods described in relation to FIG. 2 can be combined, implemented or performed with the systems and methods described in relation to FIG. 5, without using an externally accessible test pin, to trim the offset voltage at a first temperature, for example room temperature, to a trimmed offset. Then at a second temperature, the offset voltage can be trimmed to the trimmed offset value obtained after trimming at the first temperature by choosing an appropriate value of k₂ inputted into the DACs 302 and 306 leading to the same offset as measured at the first temperature.

The earlier described systems and methods, for example, inherent offset canceling or trimming at a second temperature can effectively be combined and used with the above described approach to compensate for offset voltage temperature drift without the need for measuring bias currents at an external test pin. In other words, measuring the offset voltage of an amplifier and calculating the ptat and ztat currents can obviate the need for direct measurement of currents at an externally accessible test pin.

In other embodiments, an externally accessible test pin can be used. FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a trimming process 600 utilizing a test pin according to an embodiment. At block 610, a ptat DAC is turned on to full scale. At block 620, the ptat DAC output is multiplexed to a test pin. At block 630, the ptat current is trimmed until the current at the test pin is within a desired range. At block 640, the ztat DAC is turned on to full scale. At block 650, the ztat DAC output is multiplexed to the test pin. At block 660, the ztat current is trimmed until it is equal to the ptat current. At block 670, the output offset voltage is trimmed, at a first temperature, using an offset DAC. At block 680, the output offset voltage is measured. At block 690, the offset voltage is trimmed, at a second temperature, to the previously measured offset voltage using the k₂ code inputted into the drift DACs.

Trimming for the inherent offset using the offset DAC can optionally be performed before or after trimming for the temperature drift of the offset voltage. Measuring the offset voltage can be accomplished by connecting the output of the amplifier to the input and creating a unity gain circuit. The offset voltage can then be measured at the input pins of the amplifier.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of a trimming process 700 utilizing the apparatus 500 of FIG. 5. At block 710, a ptat DAC is turned off. At block 720, a ztat DAC is turned off. At block 730, a residual offset VRES is measured. At block 740, the ptat DAC is turned on full scale. At block 750, a ptat current is trimmed until the residual offset VRES changes by a predetermined amount. As described above, the value of this predetermined amount can be chosen such that the ptat current ends up at or near a target value. The target value as described above can be chosen based on the maximum temperature drift range to be trimmed or to give ptat current an accurate temperature coefficient. At block 760, the ztat DAC is turned on full scale. At block 770, a ztat current is trimmed until the offset of the amplifier is approximately equal to the residual offset Vres. At block 780, an output offset voltage is trimmed at a first temperature using an offset DAC. At block 790, the offset voltage is trimmed, at a second temperature, to the previously measured offset voltage using the k₂ code inputted into the drift DACs.

The foregoing description and claims may refer to elements or features as being “connected” or “coupled” together. As used herein, unless expressly stated otherwise, “connected” means that one element/feature is directly or indirectly connected to another element/feature, and not necessarily mechanically. Likewise, unless expressly stated otherwise, “coupled” means that one element/feature is directly or indirectly coupled to another element/feature, and not necessarily mechanically. Thus, although the various schematics shown in the Figures depict example arrangements of elements and components, additional intervening elements, devices, features, or components may be present in an actual embodiment (assuming that the functionality of the depicted circuits is not adversely affected).

As used herein, the term “determining” encompasses a wide variety of actions. For example, “determining” may include calculating, computing, processing, deriving, investigating, looking up (e.g., looking up in a table, a database or another data structure), ascertaining and the like. Also, “determining” may include receiving (e.g., receiving information), accessing (e.g., accessing data in a memory) and the like. Also, “determining” may include resolving, selecting, choosing, establishing and the like. Further, a “channel width” as used herein may encompass or may also be referred to as a bandwidth in certain aspects.

The various operations of methods described above may be performed by any suitable means capable of performing the operations, such as various hardware and/or software component(s), circuits, and/or module(s). Generally, any operations illustrated in the Figures may be performed by corresponding functional means capable of performing the operations.

The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the present disclosure may be implemented or performed with a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array signal (FPGA) or other programmable logic device (PLD), discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any commercially available processor, controller, microcontroller or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.

The methods disclosed herein comprise one or more steps or actions for achieving the described method. The method steps and/or actions may be interchanged with one another without departing from the scope of the claims. In other words, unless a specific order of steps or actions is specified, the order and/or use of specific steps and/or actions may be modified without departing from the scope of the claims.

Applications

It is to be understood that the implementations are not limited to the precise configuration and components illustrated above. Various modifications, changes and variations may be made in the arrangement, operation and details of the methods and apparatus described above without departing from the scope of the implementations.

Although this invention has been described in terms of certain embodiments, other embodiments that are apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, including embodiments that do not provide all of the features and advantages set forth herein, are also within the scope of this invention. Moreover, the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. In addition, certain features shown in the context of one embodiment can be incorporated into other embodiments as well. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A temperature drift compensation apparatus comprising: a first variable current source configured to generate a first current proportional to temperature; a second variable current source configured to generate a second current substantially invariable to temperature drift; a first converter configured to receive a first trim code and generate, based on the first trim code, a first converted current from the first current; a second converter configured to receive a second trim code and generate, based on the second trim code, a second converted current from the second current; a controller configured to adjust, at a first temperature and when the first trim code comprises a maximum trim code, the first variable current source until the first converted current is approximately a target value and adjust, at the first temperature and when the second trim code comprises the maximum trim code, the second variable current source until the second converted current is approximately the target value; and a third converter configured to receive a third trim code and generate, based on the third trim code, a third converted current from the second converted current, wherein the controller is further configured to determine, at the first temperature, the third trim code such that the third converted current substantially compensates for an inherent offset of a device, wherein the substantially compensated inherent offset comprises a trimmed offset, wherein the inherent offset of the device, at a second temperature, comprises a second offset, and wherein the controller is further configured to, at the second temperature, determine the first and second trim codes such that the first and second converted currents trim the second offset to substantially the trimmed offset.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to store the trimmed offset into a memory and retrieve the trimmed offset from the memory when determining, at a second temperature, the first and second trim codes.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second trim codes are equal.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the maximum trim code comprises the transistors of the first and second converters in conducting state.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first temperature comprises room temperature.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the device comprises an amplifier and the controller is further configured to input the first and second converted currents to an input stage of the amplifier.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first, second and third converters comprise digital to analog converters.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second converted currents are measured at a test pin.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the device comprises an amplifier and the controller is further configured to: turn the first and second converters off; measure, at an output of the amplifier, a residual offset comprising an offset voltage of the output of the amplifier; adjust, at the first temperature and when the first trim code comprises the maximum trim code, the first variable current source until the residual offset changes by a predetermined amount; and adjust, at the first temperature and when the second trim code comprises the maximum trim code, the second variable current source until the offset voltage of the output of the amplifier comprises the residual offset.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the device comprises an amplifier, a voltage reference or a sensor.
 11. An electronically implemented method of temperature drift compensation comprising: generating, with a first variable current source, a first current proportional to temperature; generating, with a second variable current source, a second current substantially invariable to temperature drift; receiving a first trim code and converting the first current, with a first converter and based on the first trim code, into a first converted current; receiving a second trim code and converting the second current, with a second converter and based on the second trim code, into a second converted current; adjusting, at a first temperature and when the first trim code comprises a maximum trim code, the first variable current source until the first converted current is approximately a target value, adjusting, at the first temperature and when the second trim code comprises the maximum trim code, the second variable current source until the second converted current is approximately the target value; receiving a third trim code and converting the second converted current, with a third converter and based on the third trim code, into a third converted current; determining, at the first temperature, the third trim code such that the third converted current substantially compensates for an inherent offset of a device, wherein the substantially compensated inherent offset comprises a trimmed offset, wherein the inherent offset of the device, at the second temperature, comprises a second offset; and determining, at the second temperature, the first and second trim codes such that the first and second converted currents trim the second offset to substantially the trimmed offset.
 12. The method of claim 11 further comprising: storing the trimmed offset into a memory; and retrieving the trimmed offset from the memory when determining, at a second temperature, the first and second trim codes.
 13. The method of claim 11 wherein the device comprises an amplifier, a voltage reference or a sensor.
 14. The method of claim 11 wherein the maximum trim code comprises the transistors of the first and second converter in conducting state.
 15. The method of claim 11 wherein the first temperature comprises room temperature.
 16. The method of claim 11 further comprising inputting the first and second converted currents into an input stage of the device, wherein the device comprises an amplifier.
 17. The method of claim 11 wherein the first, second and third converters comprise digital to analog converters.
 18. The method of claim 11 further comprising measuring the first and second converted currents at a test pin.
 19. The method of claim 11 further comprising turning the first and second converters off; measuring a residual offset, at an output of the device, wherein the device comprises an amplifier and the residual offset comprises an offset voltage of an output of the amplifier; adjusting, at the first temperature and when the first trim code comprises the maximum trim code, the first variable current source until the residual offset changes by a predetermined amount; and adjusting, at the first temperature and when the second trim code comprises the maximum trim code, the second variable current source until the offset voltage of the output of the amplifier comprises the residual offset.
 20. A temperature drift compensation apparatus comprising: means for generating a first current proportional to temperature; means for generating a second current substantially invariable to temperature drift; means for receiving a first trim code and converting the first current, based on the first trim code, into a first converted current; means for receiving a second trim code and converting the second current, based on the second trim code, into a second converted current; means for adjusting, at a first temperature and when the first trim code comprises a maximum trim code, the means for generating the first current, until the first converted current is approximately a target value; means for adjusting, at the first temperature and when the second trim code comprises the maximum trim code, the means for generating the second current until the second converted current is approximately the target value; means for receiving a third trim code and converting the second converted current, at the first temperature, and based on the third trim code, into a third converted current; means for determining, at the first temperature, the third trim code such that the third converted current substantially compensates for an inherent offset of a device, wherein the substantially compensated inherent offset comprises a trimmed offset, wherein the inherent offset of the device, at a second temperature, comprises a second offset; and means for determining, at the second temperature, the first and second trim codes such that the first and second converted currents trim the second offset to substantially the trimmed offset. 